Chocolate Therapy
by The Dark Knight's Revenge
Summary: Jyn Erso hates Christmas and everything that comes with it after being abandoned by her family and having to put her cat down. But then a customer at her Ben and Jerry's begins to change things for her. Can Cassian help her out of her shell and answer the questions she's had for so long? Modern-day AU.
1. Chapter 1

Jyn scrubbed the counter at the check out stand and checked the ice cream cone shaped clock on the wall. 8 minutes until her shift was over and the store could close for the night. The store was empty, the giant ice cream shaped lights outside were reflecting on the beginnings of the first snow.

Hard to believe. It was halfway through December and they hadn't had any snow yet. If everything worked her way, there'd be a foot and half by that night and she wouldn't have to come into work the next day.

The bell above the door jingled. Seriously? Who needed to harass her for ice cream two minutes before her shift was over?

"I'll be with you in a moment." Jyn said, going to toss her rag in the back sink. The bell jingled again. And again. And again.

"Sorry, can we still get ice cream? It's like five till and we just got out of a movie." The lead customer said, gesturing to the huge group of people behind him. Jyn swallowed hard and plastered on her best customer service smile.

"Sure. You want a sample?" She was _really_ earning that Christmas bonus.

That's right. Christmas. Her least favorite holiday. She'd be spending the whole day at the store. Then home, alone. Just like every year. This time she didn't even have the benefit of her cat's company. She'd had to put Doodad to sleep earlier that year. Thinking about it made her feel all broken-glass-ey inside, so she pushed it away and focused back on the customer in front of her, who was taking his sweet time choosing a flavor.

"Nah, bro. Pick the Cherry Garcia. It's a _classic_." His friend said, pushing him towards the other end of the display case.

"Come on, guys. She probably wants to get home to her family." The girlfriend of the lead guy said, shooting Jyn a sympathetic face.

 _Cute._

The guys motored into action, lining up to place their orders.

Jyn inwardly thanked the girl, underneath her first impulse of snottish scorn. She didn't have any family to go to, but she wanted to get out of there all the same.

The bell on the door tinkled once more, and one more customer joined the lineup. Jyn resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She needed to lock the door.

One by one, she made her way through the customers, the big group of movie-goers deciding to take their ice cream down the street. That left one last person, who was eyeing the ice cream like a hawk.

"I'm sorry to make you wait." He said. His voice was smooth and deep. Jyn pressed her lips into a half smile and held her scoop at the ready.

"One scoop of chocolate therapy please. In a bowl."

While Jyn scooped, the customer walked down to the end of the counter by the register and stared out the window. Snowflakes were beginning to drift down.

"Couldn't wait until late tonight, could it?" Jyn said, sighing. The thud of the counter lid closing echoed around the shop. The customer said nothing. She rang up his ice cream and passed it across the counter.

"That'll be $3.05... when you're ready."

"Your accent... It's not from around here." The customer said.

"Neither is yours."

He gave her a hard stare, and Jyn pursed her lips.

"My mother and father were seasonal workers in the cranberry bogs up North. They came up the freeway with me when I was a baby."

"I see. DHS up on your shit for that?"

The customer gave a wry little smile and handed her a bill.

"Every so often... Keeps things interesting."

Jyn handed him his change and then began closing the store in earnest, turning out the front light and preparing to sweep and mop.

"You never said where you were from." The customer said from his booth. Jyn jumped. She'd almost forgotten he was there, she'd been so engrossed in mopping.

"My parents brought me over from England when I was seven."

"I see. I assume you took after them somewhat?"

"I did." Jyn swallowed a lump in her throat. "But not anymore."

"I'm sorry." He said, getting to his feet. "I didn't mean to offend."

"It's fine, it's fine... Really." Jyn waved him off and turned to her mopping so he wouldn't see the tears pricking her eyes. It's just that it was almost Christmas, and she'd be alone once again. She'd survive.

"I upset you." He said.

"No, no. It's fine. I just... Christmas is a hard time. But don't worry." She didn't want to look up at him.

"If it's any consolation... I can empathize with you."

"Thanks... Err..."

"Cassian. Cassian Andor. And I'm sorry to make you close late. Stay safe getting home." He said before disappearing out into the dark and cold.

Jyn blinked. Cassian Andor. Sounded South American enough. She wondered what he really meant by him empathizing with her... But she shook it off. The floor wouldn't mop itself. She had to get to the bus stop before the last bus came or it would be a cold walk home.

She finished swirling the mop across the floor, locked the register, then scooped herself a small scoop of chocolate therapy for the walk to the bus stop. It was her favorite flavor, and god knew she needed some therapy.

Outside, the snow just kept falling. Jyn bundled up in her coat and headscarf before disappearing into the dark and cold.


	2. Chapter 2

As luck would have it, it _didn't_ snow spectacularly that night. Just enough to make the ground slushy and the cold air nip at her cheeks when she set off for work. The bus stopped right at the edge of a puddle, making her soak her uggs in pursuit of a ride. _That_ was why she carried extra shoes with her.

It was a 20-minute bus ride from her apartment complex driveway to the complex where the Ben and Jerry's was. During that time she usually listened to music and stared out at the city going by, but today she closed her eyes and listened to the other people on the bus. Jyn hadn't slept well at all. The house had been cold and empty when she had gotten back, and she missed her cat's familiar warmth.

While she walked across the complex to the Ben and Jerry's, Jyn noticed a somewhat familiar form shoveling slush in front of the movie theater. It was the guy from the night before, with the Chocolate Therapy. Cassian? Yeah. He was here early too.

He looked up from his shoveling for a second, she forced a tight smile and little wave. He didn't move. She picked up her pace and made it to the Ben and Jerry's. She felt a little embarrassed. She was probably unrecognizable underneath all the layers and without her stupid ice cream shop hat, why did she wave?

Opening went as rudimentary as possible; count the register banks, clean the counters, check the cooler temperatures, do inventory. She'd been in the middle of mopping when she remembered that they were out of Pistachio Pistachio and needed another tub before the customers started rushing for Saturday shopping. Jyn went to the back and began lugging it out.

She had just gotten it situated in the cooler when the bell tinkled and a customer walked in. She looked up and her face did an odd job of hiding her surprise. Cassian was standing there, breathing into his cold hands to warm them.

"Good morning?" Jyn said. "Chocolate Therapy again?"

"You guessed correct. I'll get it now on my break, and save you the trouble of closing late." He said with the same odd smile from the night before. He fished his wallet out of his pocket and approached the register. Jyn already had the cone scooped and held it out to him.

"You work long hours." Jyn said.

"Gotta make a living." Cassian replied, pulling a wad of bills out of his wallet and passing them to her. "But I don't usually come in until 7. They were short staffed and needed help with the snow before the crowds stated rushing for that new Marvel movie."

"You like watching the movies while you're working?" Jyn asked.

"I don't actually do that, unless someone calls off. I mainly do the cleanup and maintenance."

"Oh." Jyn replied. "That's unfortunate... I guess. Movies are great."

"You think so?" Cassian asked.

"Yeah. It shows us worlds where things are a little less sucky." Jyn said, clearing her throat. Cassian just looked at her with his deep eyes. She couldn't tell what he was thinking.

"You're right." He finally said. He moved to put his wallet back in his pocket, but the motion caused his ice cream to wobble off the cone and land dramatically on the floor.

"Oh no, I'm so sorry. I didn't pack it right. I'll make a new one. Let me clean that up." Jyn said, flushing. She hurried out from behind the counter with a couple of rags, but suddenly her feet went out from under her. Instead of landing on the floor, she was enveloped in strong arms.

"Shit!" She exclaimed.

"It's all right." Cassian replied. Jyn opened her eyes to see Cassian's steady expression just inches from hers. He gently pulled her up and returned her to a standing position.

"Um, thanks." Jyn checked herself for signs of injury. A bolt of pain twinged through her ankle and she winced.

"You're hurt."

"Damn shitty mop job." Jyn said, tears pricking her eyes. Cassian helped her to a chair.

"Do you mind?" He asked. She shook her head and he started probing her ankle joint.

"Just a little twist." He pronounced.

"Do they teach you medicine as part of your janitorial training?"

As soon as she said it, Jyn regretted it. Cassian's face closed off.

"I'm sorry. That was mean, I-"

"I used to dream of being a doctor. But in this country, it's not so possible. Not for people like me."

"I'm so sorry, Cassian. I didn't mean-"

"I need to get back to work. Somebody has to shovel this snow. After I get the main walk done I'll dig you out." Cassian stood and adjusted his coat. Jyn's stomach flipped uncomfortably.

"Your ice cream-"

"I'll get it another time. Thank you." The bell tinkled as he left.

Jyn felt her eyes well up with hot tears.

* * *

The rest of the day was spent with a bag of ice taped around her ankle and anxious as hell. She jumped every time the bell rang, thinking that it was Cassian coming back. She rehearsed her apology over and over, trying to make it meaningful.

The last hour of her shift became a madhouse; patrons of the movie theater poured in for ice cream, more than usual. It was all she could do to stay on top of the orders with her ankle aching.

Then, suddenly, he was there at the end of the line. Jyn caught a quick glance at the clock, which read fifteen after close. And there were still people milling on the sidewalk outside. She quickly scooped Cassian's order, handing it over the counter. She tried to catch his eyes, but he was out the door before she could say any more, another wave of customers rolling in.

* * *

By the time she got the restaurant cleaned and closed up, it was way over an hour past quitting time. Jyn tiredly tossed herself into a chair and pulled out her laptop. She'd had to stop paying for wifi at her apartment and had been resorting to stealing the internet at the shop after she clocked out.

Logging into her email, she swore as she saw eight emails from her publisher. She was over deadline, out of ideas, and out of time for this contract. She put her face in her hands as tears of anxiety and frustration surged.

A light knock sounded at the door. Jyn looked up, startled. Cassian was standing there, two styrofoam cups of coffee in his hands. He gestured to the locked door.

"We're closed, I'm sorry." Jyn said, unlocking the door.

"I came to see you." Cassian replied, holding out a steaming cup to her. "Can I come in?"

A draft of icy air blew in behind him as she let him in, a few snowflakes dancing to the floor.

"It's snowing again?" Jyn said in dismay, shutting the door.

"Unfortunately." Cassian said. He took a seat at her table and looked out into the dark at the snow. Jyn considered her options, then retreated behind her laptop. She tapped her foot anxiously and tried to focus on her word processor.

"What are you working on?" Cassian asked after some time of her just staring at her laptop, trying to force the thoughts to come.

"I'm a freelance writer. I write whatever the publisher contracts me on. Currently I'm trying to write a really basic thing and it's not really happening for me."

"Can I help?" Cassian asked.

"I don't think so. Not unless you really know the key to this fiction piece that doesn't include human sacrifice or pulling teeth." Jyn scrubbed at her eyes, which were beginning to burn with frustration and exhaustion.

"Talk me through it. I may not have a college degree like you, but you never know what I could come up with." Cassian replied.

"I don't."

"Don't what?"

"Have a college degree."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

Outside the snow kept coming down. Cassian drummed his fingers on the table and Jyn stared at her laptop.

"How are you getting home?" Cassian finally asked.

"I was going to walk. It's too late to get the bus and I'll need at least another hour here to make any headway."

"You can't work from home?"

"I shut off my wifi because I couldn't keep up with the bill."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

More snow outside. Cassian scraped the bottom of his ice cream cup even though there wasn't anything else left. Jyn typed two words, erased them. Erased the last sentence. Blew out a breath. The tears came rushing back.

"You know, I'm not in the habit of telling people this, but life just really... hits hard, you know?" Jyn said, wiping under her eyes and sniffling.

"Tell me about it. The deck is stacked and it's not in my favor." Cassian replied. He got up to throw his cup away and came back with some napkins. Jyn mopped at her smeared mascara.

"My father used to tell me that I could do anything I put my mind to. Now I barely think I can do anything." Jyn said. "I think it's called being in a rut."

"It's a piece of shit. But I believe you could do anything you put your mind to. How is your ankle? May I?" He gestured to her foot, still wrapped in ice. She warily allowed him to take her foot into his lap. He undid the ice and began to gently move the swollen joint.

"It hurts." She replied. "But I'll probably survive."

"Feels all right." Cassian said as he inspected her ankle joint, probing it gently with his long fingers. "A bit swollen." He prodded a particularly tender area and Jyn yelped, her eyes watering again.

"I'm sorry, I'm probably being dramatic because I'm hungry."

"No dinner?" Cassian asked. He let her foot down gently to the floor. "And you were going to walk home? How far is that."

"It's far, but I have to do what I need to do."

Cassian ran a hand through his hair and looked around.

"Listen, Jyn. Let me help you. I have my friend's car here, I'll give you a ride to somewhere for food and then straight home."

"Cassian-"

"You're going to say that you can't accept from strangers. I've been there. I don't like accepting charity either. I won't do anything, just see you safely home. This area is dangerous after dark."

Jyn bit her lip, weighing the options. She could fend for herself, she'd walked from work plenty of times. But a warm car all the way home... and he _seemed_ trustworthy. She had pepper spray in her purse if things went south, she knew how to defend herself.

"Okay..." She said, looking up into Cassian's dark eyes. He nodded quickly and then turned and walked out the door, presumably to get the car. Jyn watched him go, then packed up her laptop and purse. Her stomach growled.

There was a can of tuna and a can of beans left in the pantry until payday tomorrow. She could mix them together and really go wild. Groceries were stretching thinner and thinner every month as she tried to put all she could into savings after paying the bills. But she'd had worse, she'd get through. If there was one thing Jyn knew, it was that she would survive the odds.

A pair of dim headlights pulled up outside the store, thick snowflakes falling through the beams. Jyn shouldered her bag and headed out into the cold.


End file.
